rinted  from  the  Volume  of  Proceedings,  National  Education  Association, 
Boston,  Mass.,  July,  1910 

'Jvt-l 

A 4 

(\^7  C" 

COLLEGE  DISCIPLINE 

THOMAS  ARKLE  CLARK,  DEAN  OF  MEN,  UNIVERSITY  OF  ILLINOIS,  URBANA,  ILL. 

The  greatest  handicap  in  my  experience  to  successful  college  discipline  is 
the  excessive  number  of  rules  laid  down  by  the  colleges  for  the  conduct  of 
students.  Too  many  college  officers  feel  that  when  an  evil  exists,  or  an 
erroneous  custom  prevails,  the  only  thing  necessary  is  to  pass  a regulation 
against  the  evil,  or  the  custom,  and  the  matter  is  settled.  The  real  fact  is 
that  generally  the  more  rules  an  institution  has,  the  more  difficulty  the 
college  officers  find  in  maintaining  good  discipline,  and  in  keeping  the  young 
people  within  bounds. 

It  is  safe  to  take  for  granted  that  young  people  of  college  age  know  in  the 
main  what  is  right  and  what  is  reasonable  as  to  conduct,  so  that  it  is  not 
necessary  that  every  sin  in  the  decalog,  or  that  every  violation  of  the  law 
under  the  statute,  should  be  named  in  the  college  catalog  and  the  penalty 
for  its  violation  attached.  Rules  often  prevent  individual  action  in  specific 
cases.  Every  violation  of  good  order  should  be  taken  up,  looked  into,  and 
judged  as  if  it  were  the  only  one  of  its  sort.  Rules  often  hamper  such 
judgment.  Many  college  rules  are  virtually  a dead  letter  because  they  are 
difficult  or  impossible  of  execution,  and  the  existence  of  such  regulations 
can  do  nothing  less  than  bring  the  whole  system  of  college  statutes  into 
ridicule  and  disrepute.  I believe,  for  illustration,  that  it  would  be  a most 
excellent  thing  if  college  students  did  not  visit  saloons,  for  I have  knowm 
very  few  students  who  were  not  to  a greater  or  less  degree  injured  by  such 
a practice.  It  seems  44  njte,  ho^rg^er,  usually  worse  than  useless,  and  in 
fact  often  harmful,  for  a college  tx3  rtiake  a rule  prohibiting  students  from 
entering  saloons,  because  it  is  so  evidently  a rule  unlikely  or  impossible  to 
be  enforced. 

More  than  this,  the  very  existence  of  regulations  will  frequently  incite 
students  to  insubordination  that  would  not  otherwise  have  been  thought  of. 
“I’ve  just  discovered,”  one  freshman  said  to  another,  “that  it’s  against  the 
rules  to  smoke  in  the  quadrangle.  Now,  I suppose  it  will  make  me  sick, 
for  I don’t  care  much  for  smoking,  but  I couldn’t  let  a thing  like  that  go 
by  without  having  a try  at  it.”  I am  not  arguing  against  regulations  per  se; 
some  of  course  are  necessary  for  the  proper  conduct  of  any  business  or  insti- 
tution, but  the  fewer  the  better,  and  then  only  those  which  are  absolutely 
necessary. 

The  young  person  who  enters  college  is  on  a different  basis,  and  should 
receive  different  treatment,  from  the  same  person  in  the  high  school.  He  is 
more  nearly  an  adult,  and  he  should  be  treated  as  such.  He  is  more  inde- 


557 


558  NATIONAL  EDUCATION  ASSOCIATION  [Higher 

pendent,  more  upon  his  own  responsibility,  and  so  far  as  possible  he  should 
be  left  to  manage  his  own  conduct  and  his  own  affairs.  The  more  he  can 
be  let  alone  the  better.  This  last  statement  does  not  mean  in  any  sense  that 
no  one  should  know  what  he  is  doing.  Much  of  the  trouble  that  occurs  in 
college — nearly  all  that  occurred  in  my  own  undergraduate  days — comes 
from  the  fact  that  rules  more  or  less  arbitrary  and  often  foolish  are  made 
in  the  belief  that  such  legislation  will  in  itself  correct  any  tendency  to  wander 
which  the  undergraduate  may  evince.  Seldom  is  any  effort  made  to  keep 
an  eye  upon  the  young  student,  and  to  forestall  any  dereliction  into  which 
he  may  fall.  The  best  way  to  manage  the  student  guilty  of  misconduct  is 
to  look  after  him  so  personally  and  so  carefully  that  he  may  be  brought  to 
account  just  before  he  has  been  guilty  of  the  act  that  would  subject  him  to 
discipline.  This  last  statement  may  seem  like  a paradox,  or  an  Irish  bull, 
but  I am  sure  that  the  most  skillful  disciplinary  work  which  I have  ever  done 
in  the  ten  years  during  which  I have  been  a disciplinary  officer  has  been 
connected  with  the  things  that  never  happened,  because  they  were  not 
allowed  to. 

Granted  that  the  college  has  made  few  rules,  and  that  there  is  someone 
who  keeps  himself  pretty  thoroly  conversant  with  what  is  going  on,  there  will 
still  be  infractions  of  regulations,  and  necessity  on  the  part  of  college  officers 
to  exercise  authority.  Youth  is  still  young  and  irresponsible,  and  is  quite  as 
likely  to  be  guided  by  impulse  as  by  judgment.  In  my  own  undergraduate 
days,  twenty  years  ago,  when  a young  fellow  had  been  drunk,  had  danced  in 
a college  hall,  had  carried  away  the  campus  fence  to  add  fuel  to  the  bonfire 
in  celebration  of  Hallowe’en,  or  had  backed  the  cannon  into  the  sluggish 
stream  that  flowed  thru  the  campus  in  order  to  show  his  disapproval  of 
compulsory  military  drill — when  he  had  done  any  of  these  things  and  was 
caught,  he  was  brought  before  the  entire  faculty  assembled  in  most  serious 
session,  and  here  he  was  tried.  It  is  ^^rrowing  experience,  as  some  of  us 
well  know,  and  one  not  likely  always  to  bring  justice.  A man  may  perhaps 
make  a good  teacher,  or  a good  scientific  investigator,  without  making  a 
good  judge.  When  an  entire  faculty  deliberates  on  disciplinary  matters 
there  is  likely  to  be  too  much  talking,  some  wrangling,  and  uncertain  con- 
clusions. The  responsibility  is  too  widely  scattered,  and  the  student  and 
good  order  are  sure  to  suffer. 

Disciplinary  matters  will  be  handled  more  satisfactorily  to  all  concerned 
if  put  in  charge  of  a small  body  composed  of  from  three  to  five  persons 
chosen  because  of  their  knowledge  of  student  life  and  conditions,  and 
because  of  their  special  fitness  to  give  reasonable  and  sympathetic  judg- 
ments on  the  cases  that  come  before  them.  The  members  of  such  a com- 
mittee should  be  young,  or  should  have  once  been  young  with  the  memory 
of  that  time  still  in  mind.  They  should  be  broad-minded  and  above  petty 
prejudices.  They  should  still  be  interested  in  the  things  outside  of  books  that 
interest  normal,  healthy  young  people — such  as  athletic  sports  and  social 


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COLLEGE  DISCIPLINE 


559 


pleasures.  They  should  have  backbone  enough  when  an  unpleasant  thing 
has  to  be  done,  and  ought  to  be  done,  to  do  it  even  tho  it  hurts  some  stu- 
dents, and  some  fathers  and  mothers.  Ordinarily  I should  not  consider  it 
a calamity  if  neither  women  nor  lawyers  were  on  such  a committee.  Women 
are  more  often  than  men  influenced  by  their  prejudices  or  their  emotions, 
and  lawyers  are  likely. to  insist  upon  a “legal”  conviction.  Conditions  are 
such  that  a man  should  often  be  allowed  to  go  free  who  has  really  violated 
a college  regulation,  while  another  man  who  cannot  be  proved  guilty  of 
any  actual  dereliction  may  yet  clearly  be  proved  a detriment  to  the  com- 
munity, and  should  be  sent  away. 

In  institutions  where  both  men  and  women  are  in  attendance  I believe 
it  will  often  be  found  of  advantage  for  a different  committee  to  pass  upon 
the  cases  of  discipline  of  women  from  the  one  which  considers  the  cases  of 
men.  Men  and  women  are  so  different,  especially  young  men  and  young 
women,  in  the  crises  which  matters  of  discipline  bring,  that  I believe  they 
may  very  well  be  handled  by  people  of  somewhat  different  temperaments. 
Men,  for  instance,  I have  found  will  almost  always  tell  the  truth  about  their 
own  escapades,  being  careful,  of  course,  not  to  bring  in  any  of  their  compan- 
ions, but  shielding  themselves  very  little;  while  girls,  under  similar  con- 
ditions, from  sheer  nervousness  or  terror,  will  often  tell  the  most  palpable 
untruths. 

Whether  or  not  such  a committee  should  be  given  absolute  and  final 
power,  or  should  report  its  findings  to  the  faculty,  or  to  some  higher  power 
for  confirmation  and  final  action,  will  depend  upon  local  conditions.  Which- 
ever method  is  employed  the  findings  of  such  a committee  should  virtually 
be  final,  or  its  power  and  influence  will  count  for  very  little. 

In  such  a disciplinary  committee  as  I have  discussed  the  general  manage- 
ment should  be  in  the  hands  of  a chairman  who  should  be  a man  of  experi- 
ence and  judgment,  well  acquainted  with  students  and  student  activities, 
and  he  should  allow  only  such  matters  to  come  before  the  committee  for 
trial  as  cannot  be  settled  in  some  more  amicable  and  satisfactory  way. 
Cases  requiring  discipline  may  be  reported  to  him  either  directly  or  thru 
the  proper  college  officer. 

A disciplinary  officer  to  be  successful  must  have  the  confidence  of  both 
students  and  faculty.  The  faculty  must  feel  that  matters  given  into  his 
hands  will  be  dealt  with  squarely,  and  without  delay.  No  college  instructor 
wishes  to  be  humiliated  by  having  matters  of  discipline  which  he  reports 
either  ignored  or  treated  lightly.  Neither  should  he  feel  that  he  is  com- 
promised if  every  student  whom  he  reports  for  discipline  is  not  found  guilty. 
I have  known  college  instructors  who  refused  to  report  cases  of  alleged  crib- 
bing, because  of  the  fact  that  a student  previously  reported  had  not  been 
found  guilty  by  the  disciplinary  committee.  It  was  not  justice  they  desired, 
but  conviction.  Many  instructors  are  annoyed  by  what  they  consider 
unnecessary  delay  in  disciplinary  affairs.  They  do  not  realize  that  it  takes 


560 


NATIONAL  EDUCATION  ASSOCIATION 


[Higher 


time  to  assemble  committees,  to  gather  facts,  and  to  come  to  conclusions 
which  will  do  justice  to  everyone  concerned. 

No  disciplinary  officer  will  get  on  well  unless  he  has  a reputation  for 
playing  fair.  If  the  college  officer  is  willing  to  give  the  square  deal,  he  will 
have  gone  a long  way  toward  solving  his  official  difficulties.  He  will  some- 
times have  to  listen  to  some  long  stories,  he  will  perhaps  have  often  to  go  a 
long  way  and  suffer  some  inconvenience  to  discover  necessary  facts,  but  the 
college  students  whom  I have  known  have  for  the  most  part  been  square, 
and  have  been  willing  to  take  without  complaint  or  whimpering  what  was 
legitimately  coming  to  them  for  their  misdeeds,  when  it  was  shown  to  them 
that  the  college  officer  was  inclined  to  do  the  fair  thing. 

I long  ago  learned  that  it  will  never  do  to  reach  a conclusion  with  regard 
to  any  matter  under  dispute  without  hearing  both  sides  of  the  story.  No 
matter  how  damaging  or  convincing  the  evidence  may  be,  it  is  always  best 
to  hold  one’s  judgment  in  abeyance  until  the  accused  party  has  been  heard, 
and  given  a fair  chance  to  defend  himself. 

Only  a few  days  ago  a woman  called  me  up  to  settle  a dispute  with  ref- 
erence to  an  alleged  agreement  which  she  had  had  with  a student.  “ Should 
not  a student  who  has  rented  a room  for  a semester,  and  who  leaves  before 
that  time,  pay  for  the  whole  semester?”  she  asked.  “ Ordinarily,  yes,”  I 
answered,  “but  I should  like  to  talk  to  the  student  before  answering.” 
And  when  I did,  I found  that  in  reality  the  woman  had  violated  her  con- 
tract, but  wanted  still  to  hold  the  student  to  his. 

It  is  never  advisable  to  convict  a man  on  circumstantial  evidence,  no 
matter  how  convincing  it  may  appear  to  be.  The  committee  of  which  I am 
chairman  in  my  own  institution  have  made  it  a rule  to  give  the  student  the 
benefit  of  the  doubt  unless  the  case  is  clearly  proved.  We  have  never  felt 
that  we  have  lost  by  this  method,  for  even  tho  some  guilty  ones  have  escaped 
we  have  always  been  able  to  justify  our  actions,  and  to  hold  to  our  decisions. 

This  last  point  is  a really  important  one.  Whenever  a disciplinary  body 
gets  a reputation  for  reversing  its  decisions,  or  changing  its  action  at  the 
first  appeal,  it  loses  force  and  influence.  It  is  no  light  matter  to  send  a man 
away  from  college;  it  may  deprive  the  student  of  his  chances  of  an  educa- 
tion, and  it  is  a disgrace  and  a sorrow  to  the  family  at  home  not  easily  borne. 
For  that  reason,  such  action  should  be  taken  deliberately,  with  a clear 
notion  of  what  the  facts  are,  and  what  the  punishment  means.  Being  once 
taken,  unless  new  evidence  is  presented  which  alters  the  circumstances  and 
presents  new  conditions,  it  should  not  be  reversed.  Any  college  disciplinary 
body  will  have  to  withstand  tears  and  promises  of  reform,  petitions  and 
the  onslaught  of  influential  friends.  If  the  decision  was  right,  however, 
it  should  stand;  if  it  was  wrong,  it  should  never  have  been  made. 

Whenever  a disciplinary  officer  shows  unusual  consideration  for  the 
position  or  the  connections  of  anyone  under  examination,  he  loses  his  grasp 
of  the  situation.  A student  should  not  be  shown  favors  because  he  is  some- 


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COLLEGE  DISCIPLINE 


56i 


one’s  son,  or  because  he  is  related  to  someone  who  has  social  position  or 
influence.  Everyone  should  be  treated  alike  so  far  as  his  social  position 
is  concerned. 

Personally  I have  found  the  greatest  help  in  the  solving  of  disciplinary 
difficulties  in  the  students  themselves.  I should  have  far  more  trouble  than 
I do  were  it  not  for  the  reliance  which  I have  upon  individual  students,  and 
student  organizations,  to  help  control  situations.  One  of  the  main  reasons 
why  I have  favored  fraternities,  and  other  social  organizations  among  stu- 
dents, is  because  I have  found  them  of  the  greatest  help  to  me  in  controlling 
and  directing  student  activities,  and  in  preventing  dissipations  and  out- 
bursts which  might  otherwise  occur.  One  active  student  leader  can  help 
immensely  to  keep  things  under  control. 

One  of  the  greatest  difficulties  of  student  discipline  lies  in  the  changing 
character  of  the  student  population.  Every  year,  perhaps  one  third  of  the 
student  community  is  new,  and  must  become  accustomed  to  the  traditions 
and  the  regulations  of  the  college.  Whether  this  number  consists  of  one 
hundred  or  one  thousand,  it  should  be  someone’s  business  to  get  acquainted 
with  these  freshmen,  to  know  so  far  as  possible  who  they  are,  where  they 
come  from,  where  they  live,  and  what  they  are  doing.  If  students  have 
the  feeling  that  some  college  officer  knows  what  they  are  doing,  and  if  the 
college  officer  goes  far  to  make  this  feeling  a reality,  the  problems  of  student 
discipline  will  be  minimized.  We  are  coming  more  and  more  to  see,  I believe, 
that  tho  college  students  should  be  allowed  so  far  as  possible  to  think  and 
act  independently,  they  should  be  so  situated  that  someone  will  know  what 
they  are  doing;  then,  if  trouble  is  brewing,  someone  will  know  where  to  look 
for  it,  and  perhaps  how  to  prevent  it;  if  not,  he  will  at  least  have  a more 
intelligent  idea  of  how  it  may  be  ended  with  the  least  friction  on  student 
and  faculty. 

If  a man  hopes  to  succeed  as  a disciplinary  officer  he  must  keep  closely 
in  touch  and  sympathy  with  student  life  and  student  activities.  He  must 
be  willing  to  praise  the  virtuous,  to  commend  the  worthy  as  well  as  to  pass 
judgment  upon  the  derelict.  The  wider  his  acquaintance  the  better;  the 
more  fully  he  understands  human  nature  the  easier  will  be  his  task.  He 
must  often  know  a great  many  things  which  he  does  not  tell,  tho  he  must  not 
tell  things  which  he  does  not  know.  He  will  not  lose  if  he  sometimes  does 
the  unexpected  thing,  and  no  matter  how  many  years  he  may  live  he  must 
always  be  young. 


